Menotti Says Real Madrid are afraid of Barcelona ever since 5-0 loss

byDavidonDecember 6, 2011

Former Barcelona coach Cesar Menotti believes that Real Madrid are afraid of Barca ever since they were beaten 5-0 in La Liga last season.

The Blaugrana hammered the Santiago Bernabeu side in November 2010, and Menotti feels that Madrid have never really recovered since that heavy loss at Camp Nou, despite having met several more times after that game.

“I would be hard pressed to come up with an important game similar to the one between Barcelona and Real Madrid that ended in 5-0,” Menotti said in an interview to Canal+. “Obviously a result like that can happen, but it really was a huge blow to Madrid. I get the feeling that they have been afraid of Barca ever since that loss. Madrid have shown fear and gave Barcelona way too much respect. They’ve had very few ideas of their own in order to really compete with Barca since that defeat.”

Interesting comments from Menotti and there is more than a touch of truth to them. Heading into the match at the Now Camp last season, Real Madrid were playing well and Mourinho went with a very attacking line-up and Barcelona ripped them to shreds.

Since that game Mourinho has went ultra-defensive against Barca, stacking the midfield and playing a physical stye of football in an attempt to slow Barca down. That has not worked, and I really hope that Mourinho is more attacking focused this weekend, especially at home.